


Motion

by sylversmyth



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Dancing, F/M, Fluff, Grinding, Teasing, background vaxmore, honestly i'll be back to smut at some point, its just more cute stuff, pikelan, tsar verse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-25
Updated: 2019-05-25
Packaged: 2020-03-14 17:22:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,110
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18952600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sylversmyth/pseuds/sylversmyth
Summary: Scanlan discovers that Pike grinding on himto his own musicis a big kink for him.Her movements were unconcerned, joyful, playful, and with a tug, she pulled him to her, laughing.  With her grip on his hands, Pike positioned him how she wanted him, wrapping his arms around her waist and letting go to loop her own arms loosely over his neck.  Scanlan’s heart skipped a beat as she leaned towards him, and then her lips were on his and all he could do was give in.





	Motion

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [The Sun Always Rises](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10013741) by [tameila](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tameila/pseuds/tameila). 



> Tameila and I keep egging each other on with Pikelan and TSAR headcanons, so this happened.   
> Comments keep this endeavor running!

Howarth’s was crowded, which was to be expected for a nice club on a Saturday night, but thanks to a bit of well placed notoriety, Scanlan had no trouble finding a booth for their little bunch. With Pike, Vax, and Gilmore holding the table, he darted away through the crowd, weaving between revelers in a dance he’d become practiced at over the years. Making his way to the bar, he ordered a round for the group, smiling at the bartender, a woman who had known him through much of his time in Emon. She grinned back at him as she passed him the drinks.

“It’s been a while, Scanlan. I’ve been hearing a lot going around the rumor mill, but all said, you look well. Better than the last time I saw you in here, for sure.”

“You’re not looking bad yourself, Kel,” he answered with a laugh, and then more seriously, “But thank you. It’s, well, I don’t know if it’s exactly nice to be back, if you know what I mean, but, I feel well. I’m happy.”

Kel’s grin softened as she looked him over. “It’s that girl of yours, isn’t it? I see your insta posts, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you so smitten with someone. Seems like she’s good for you.”

Scanlan flushed a little, the pulsing light from the dance floor emphasizing the rush of pink across his cheeks and ears as he involuntarily turned to glance back across the room. “Got it in one. She’s the best thing that ever happened to me.”

“Well, I won’t keep you from her. And Scanlan?” He looked back into her eyes, now serious, “It’s good to see you’re making it out of the woods.”

“And it’s good to see the sky again.” He chuckled, “I know they say that bartenders make the best therapists, but Kel, you’re pretty damn great.”

She blew a kiss at him jokingly, tossing an “Only the best for you, darlin’” over her shoulder as she turned away to help another patron. “Now scat!”

Heading back to the table with the drinks was a little trickier than the trip to the bar, but one of the perks of being famous in a place like this was that people gave you space. It’s one of the reasons Howarth’s had become his favorite spot for drinking and dancing the nights away during his time in Emon. The club was a bit out of the way, not exclusive per se, but it was advertised by word of mouth: you needed to know the right people to learn about it. The result was a place where that paparazzi couldn’t linger, some average people might have the chance to rub shoulders with the rich and well known (and vice versa), and overall there was an understanding that everyone here wanted to have a good time without being jumped on by fans. Breaking that protocol was discouraged. Kel knew who was who around here, and didn’t take kindly to people harassing her regulars.

Sitting back down at the table, he leaned playfully into Pike’s side, sliding her glass towards her as the Gilmore reached to pull his and Vax’s towards them. The four had been planning a night out for some time, hoping to take make the best of Scanlan’s occasional business trips into Emon. Pike had told him about her worries about Vax, how back in Westrun, he’d always seemed a bit sad and distant, lacking place and purpose in a way he didn’t quite know how to process. Scanlan hadn’t spent quite as much time with the man, but even he could see the shadow that crossed his face more often than not. Here though, he was like a different person entirely. Lively, smiling, leaning against Gilmore in a mirror to Scanlan’s own position pressed up into Pike’s side, her hand gentle on his knee. Gilmore was telling some story about a recent customer, and where Pike and Scanlan listened and laughed along, Vax hung on his every word. Snaking an arm around Pike’s waist and sipping at his water, he listened to her laugh at the antics being described, warm and throaty and genuine. The sound washed over him, and for a moment he thought he could drown in it, but he was brought back to himself as she turned her still smiling eyes on him. A red flush had worked its way across her cheeks, courtesy of her most recent drink, as well as the glass of wine or two she may have had back at Gil’s before they all went out. Gods, she was cute when she was a little drunk. Not to say he didn’t prefer her sober, but she got all silly and sappy and honest and the glow on her face was downright adorable. Unable to help himself, he leaned in and dropped a kiss on her nose, the skin feverishly warm under his lips. She gave an exaggerated pout, her forehead wrinkling as she furrowed her brow.

“Scanlan, you’ve hardly talked all night! Are you feeling ok?”

“Why Pike!” Scanlan feigned a look of hurt, “How could you say that? I’ve been talking plenty!”

A snort came from across the table and Vax spoke up. “Try again buddy, you just spent a solid ten minutes completely zoned out of the conversation, staring at Pike.”

“Ok, point ceded, that may be true. But, to get to the actual question,” He turned to face Pike again and, because he could, pressed another kiss to her cheek and felt her smile, “I’m feeling great, baby. Just a little drunk on your general lovelines, but who could blame me?”

She grinned wide now, the pout melting away entirely, “Good, because just I’m a little drunk too and I wanna dance. Scoot over, let me out!”

Almost as soon as he’d stood from the booth, Pike was out and dragging him towards the dance floor. Behind him he heard Vax call out, “Have fun, you crazy kids!”.

“I’m older than you, kiddo!” Scanlan shouted back. Before the crowd closed around them, he heard the rumble of Gilmore’s chuckle, and Vax’s affronted “Shaun!”

And then the sound of the dance floor was upon them. The music was lively, people jumped and danced and the bass throbbed through all of them in time with the pulsing lights. And Pike was there. Watching Pike dance when she was a little drunk was maybe one of Scanlan’s favorite things about their friend group’s occasional bar crawls. Pike really could drink most of them under a table, with Grog being an exception, but she was still pleasantly tipsy after a drink or three. The thing about Pike was, she wasn’t ever a really good dancer. She wasn’t bad, but there’s a certain kind of person who just can’t let go enough to actually move with the music, to stop fretting about how it might look. Pike really only danced after a drink or two. Sure, Scanlan could get her to dance with him at home easily enough, but that was more about the two of them touching than it was about her feeling the music with her body and moving for the joy of it. But here, in the club, with a little tipsiness to blunt her embarrassment and a crush of bodies to make her feel unseen like a drop in the ocean, here she could dance. 

Finding a gap in the throng, Pike stopped Scanlan to spin around and throw her arms over his shoulders, laughing at the surprise that flitted across his face before her lips brushed across his. He would never get tired of that. Seeing her eyes light with joy, feeling her warmth and the little zing of electricity where her skin touched his. It was breathtaking, and he felt his face settle into what he knew must be a fairly goofy smile. Pike let her hands slide back down his arms, fingers trailing barely-there over sleeve and rolled-up cuff and forearm. Scanlan held back a shiver at the lightness of the touch, his legs a bit weak. When she let go of his hands, the world rushed back in, and he thought for a flash that his knees might give out, not just from the heat and press of dancing bodies on every side. In front of him, Pike was bouncing along to the music, hips swaying, her feet moving in an adorable little shuffle. Her eyes were closed, her grin wide. She was the picture of unconcerned joyful movement, and Scanlan thought he might never have seen anything more beautiful.

As the song wound down, the first notes of the next song faded in and in a heartbeat Scanlan knew exactly what it was. Pike’s eyes flashed open and met his, glinting almost wickedly in her excitement. She giggled and grabbed his hands again, spinning him with her in excitement as Scanlan’s voice floated into the room through the speakers. 

 

Scanlan’s breath caught in his throat. Sure, he knew she listened to his music, and it’s not like he hadn’t serenaded her on many occasions, but watching her listen wasn’t the same as watching her dance. Gods, he loved Pike. Somehow he had gotten lucky enough for her to want him of all people, and now here he was, caught up in her grip as she twirled and jumped and smiled, singing along with his song, a song he had written with her name in his heart. Her movements were unconcerned, joyful, playful, and with a tug, she pulled him to her, laughing. With her grip on his hands, Pike positioned him how she wanted him, wrapping his arms around her waist and letting go to loop her own arms loosely over his neck. Scanlan’s heart skipped a beat as she leaned towards him, and then her lips were on his and all he could do was give in. He curled his fingers into the fabric of her top, pulling her closer, and kissed her back like a starving man. She hummed in satisfaction and, oh. Oh fuck.

Never let it be said that Pike didn’t like to lead when she could manage to stop overthinking things. Scanlan broke the kiss, gasping, a small whine escaping before he could bite it back, as Pike slotted one knee between his and ground up onto him, her hips still moving to the rhythm, the lights of the club highlighting the flush on her cheeks, no longer just from the alcohol and the heat.

“This alright babe?” she grinned, and all Scanlan could do was nod wordlessly, fingers clenching and unclenching where they gripped her shirt. “Good,” and with that, she slotted her lips back to his and moved, her motions fluid and deliberate. In the background, Scanlan could hear his own voice singing back at them, powerful and lovely, singing his heart out for a girl he couldn’t have, a girl who was currently fisting one hand into the hair at the back of his neck, tugging just enough to send a zing down his spine. This time he did shiver, a full body tremor that Pike took notice of, a look of pride flashing across her face. Gorgeous. The song built through the bridge, and Pike’s hips moved against his, against his increasingly too-tight jeans, her body demanding and her kisses impossible to deny. But still…

“Pikey, love,” he gasped, and she stilled slightly, looking into his eyes while he slowed his breath and gathered his wits. “Pike I’ve gotta stop, it’s, there’s… Pike,” he groaned, as she ground up against him one more time, a laugh in her eyes.

“What is it Scanlan? Did I finally render you speechless?”

“I...Pike, I have a boner in the middle of a dance floor, have a little compassion!” He leaned his head forward, knocking his forehead onto her collarbone as he took a minute step back, fidgeting a little.

Pike laughed brightly and stepped the half step back into his space, though she didn’t brush against him this time. She laid a hand on his cheek, tipping his face back up to hers for a quick peck on the lips. “You know, I don’t think I’ve gotten you this hot and bothered on the dance floor before.”

“Well, you learn something new everyday. And I learned that I need to sit down, I think. Unless you’re planning to finish what you started, and I definitely don’t think this is the right place for that.”

“Hmm. No, it’s not the right place. But Scanlan,” she smirked, “I don’t start things I don’t intend to finish.”


End file.
